Tobermory 26yo Hebridean Series
Tobermory Distillery has just released the fourth piece of its exclusive Hebridean Series collection launched in 2022.
Tobermory 26yo (49.2% vol.) is a whisky that has undergone a two-stage maturation process. It spent its first 15 years in bourbon barrels before being transferred to oloroso sherry casks from Gonzáles Byass for another 11 years. This is the fourth edition of whisky in the series, launched in 2022 with the release of Tobermory 23yo and 24yo.
The entire Hebridean Series is a whisky pre-bottling of the standard Tobermory 15yo and matured in bourbon barrels. Part of the distillate, however, was transferred to twin Gonzáles Byass oloroso sherry casks and set aside for further aging side by side in the same warehouse under identical conditions. Initially, 23yo and 24yo editions were released, and a total of five editions were announced, bottled at one-year intervals - the same whisky, however, aged exactly one year from year to year. Subsequent editions thus offer a practical insight into the effects of successive years of aging on an already not-so-young whisky. Tobermory 26yo, which is making its debut on the market, is the fourth edition of the series, which means we can expect one more final 27yo edition next year.
Tobermory 26yo is a beverage that offers accents of brown sugar, fresh strawberries, vanilla fudge, candied ginger and sultanas raisins in its aroma. In its taste, we can expect sweetness and spiciness, including notes of vanilla, toffee, walnuts, freshly baked cookies with cinnamon, delicate oak and roasted cereal. The finish is long, with notes of chocolate-covered hazelnuts.
Tobermory distillery is one of the oldest whisky makers in Scotland. It was founded in 1798 in the village of the same name, the largest settlement on the island of Mull. It was originally called Ledaig, although here publicly available sources do not agree on this. What is known with certainty, however, is that as Ledaig the distillery went into production in 1972, after almost half a century of non-existence, after which it declared bankruptcy rather quickly (1975). These were not good times for whisky produced under difficult and cost-generating conditions - on an island with no fuel resources and no major barley crop, where everything had to be brought in from outside. Established four years later, the company to restore whiskey production on Mull was already called Tobermory Distillers Ltd.
The small distillery, which operates with four alembics, produces two types of whisky. Nearly peat-free Tobermory accounts for half of the production volume, while the other half of the production capacity is devoted to the production of strongly peaty Ledaig (minimum 35 ppm). The distillery has a maximum production capacity of a little over a million liters of pure alcohol per year. It is open to tourists, offering a rich program of tours and tastings.
Tobermory 26yo Hebridean Series has just arrived at the House of Whisky Online and in Poland is available for purchase only from us. In addition, we offer a selection of various editions of both Tobermory, as well as Ledaig, including those from independent distributors. Please visit.
[14.03.2024 / photo: Tobermory]